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Birds of a feather? Christie nabs endorsement

NJ Gov. Chris Christie became one of the first candidates for the 2016 Republican presidential nomination to bag an endorsement from a sitting GOP governor. But it comes at a time when Maine's embattled Paul LePage.

PORTLAND, MAINE – Gov. Chris Christie has become one of the first candidates for the 2016 Republican presidential nomination to bag an endorsement from a sitting GOP governor. But it comes at a time when Maine Gov. Paul LePage is facing calls for his impeachment after threatening to pull state funding from a charter school if it hired a political rival.

Christie and LePage appeared together at a diner in Maine's largest city Wednesday and they highlighted what they said are parallels in their brash governing styles.

New Jersey Governor and just announced Republican presidential candidate Chris Christie and his wife Mary Pat found Joel and Loretta Mascaro at Becky's Diner in Portland, ME, Wednesday, July 1, 2015. They have homes in Cape May Court House and Arizona and were in Maine on vacation. THOMAS P. COSTELLO

New Jersey Governor and just announced Republican presidential candidate Chris Christie and his wife Mary Pat found Joel and Loretta Mascaro at Becky's Diner in Portland, ME, Wednesday, July 1, 2015. They have homes in Cape May Court House and Arizona and were in Maine on vacation. THOMAS P. COSTELLO

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But critics said the parallels go further, with polls showing that Christie is still having trouble convincing people that he was out of the loop on the George Washington Bridge scandal. In that matter, Christie loyalists are accused of causing massive traffic jams in Fort Lee, to punish that city's mayor for refusing to endorse his 2013 re-election.

"The first major endorsement Gov. Christie receives after announcing he's running for president is from a governor who is facing impeachment threats for his role in exacting retribution upon a political adversary,'' said Democratic National Committee spokeswoman Kaylie Hanson. "Can't say we're surprised."

LePage said Christie, as chairman of the Republican Governors Association last year, was instrumental in his successful re-election campaign. Christie made several trips to Maine to campaign for LePage and directed the RGA to spend $5.1 million on boosting LePage's chances.

LePage told reporters, "When all of you and all your colleagues across the country had me as a dead man walking, Chris Christie had faith.''

The New York Times reported Sunday that Democrats and independents in the Maine Legislature are researching how to impeach LePage, after he threatened to withhold more than $500,000 in state aid to a charter school for at-risk youth unless is rescinded the hire of a LePage foe, the Democratic speaker of the House.

According to the Times account, "Mr. LePage has alienated just about the entire Legislature, including his fellow Republicans and erstwhile allies. He has called them names and gone on a veto spree, canceling a record number of bills in a flurry that would rival any Maine blizzard."

The LePage endorsement is a sign "we're going to gather significant support from major political figures across the country as we put together our campaign," he said.

Christie said he was the first candidate to receive an endorsement from a GOP governor but Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson previously endorsed Mike Huckabee, according to a Tweet from RGA spokesman Jon Thompson.